


Princess and The Guard (Bellarke fic AU)

by kristen_p



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Bellarke, F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-29
Updated: 2017-01-16
Packaged: 2018-08-18 10:36:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8159125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kristen_p/pseuds/kristen_p
Summary: Clarke is the Princess of Arkadia, and she's doing the best she can. Although she'd rather be drawing than attending parties, she goes anyway to make her father proud. But when her father is suddenly murdered and Clarke gets taken captive, she's no longer worried about dresses and dances; she's worried about survival. Bellamy has worked his whole life on the guard and is very disappointed to be assigned to Clarke's guard. He thinks it'll be just like babysitting. But when Clarke gets captured and he's the only one able to protect her, he realizes that the Princess isn't just a girl in a fluffy dress. As they try to survive and escape together, Clarke and Bellamy come to terms with new feelings that might bring them together, but tear their Kingdom apart.





	1. Negotiations

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! I'd really love helpful and kind comments! Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!
> 
> Also: I will change perspective, so the sections are marked accordingly with "Clarke" or "Bellamy" to clarify. Thanks!

Clarke

            “I don’t care what it will do for you, this is about the safety of my kingdom, and jeopardizing that is not in the question!” I listen to my father shout from the head of the table. The rest of the council is sitting at the rectangular table while my father, King of Arkadia, converses with the king of the neighboring kingdom.

            The only reason I’m here is because they’re discussing, or rather fighting over, my betrothal.

            As a Princess at 18, it’s time for me to find a husband. Custom here generally dictates that I marry a prince of another kingdom nearby – usually to strengthen military forces, boost morale, make treaties, or other petulant reasons. The closest Kingdom is Polis, and the Prince from there, Finn, is around my age. His father wants me to marry him.

            “For the safety of my kingdom and the security of my daughter, I must firmly yet respectfully decline your offer. Now, if you will kindly go, I’ve got other matters to attend,” says my father, sitting down and shuffling around some paperwork.

            King Anton stands, as well as a few guards that belong to him.

            “I will arrange for another meeting,” he glances at me. His gaze is uncomfortable. “We’ve not yet finished with this discussion.”

            He gracefully turns out of the room, followed by his guards.

            “Sweetheart, you may leave now,” says father. I’ve been sketching in my book, and when he speaks, I look up to my father, smiling.

            “Father, you won’t make me marry him, will you? I’ve only heard bad things about Prince Finn,” I say. He gets up from his chair and his many papers and comes over to where I sit. He lowers himself so we are eye to eye and smiles.

            “Clarke, I wouldn’t let you marry him even if he were the last eligible prince in the world,” he says. He brushes some blonde curls away from my eyes and stands again. His robes swish with the movement.

            “Tomorrow, we will go riding, to take your mind off of this? Does that sound alright?” I smile. He knows exactly how to make me happy. Not only is he a great king, but he is also a wonderful father.

            “Clarke?” I haven’t answered him yet.

            “Oh, yes! Yes, of course. I’d love that, thank you.” I stand and hug him, squeezing tight.

            A crashing noise breaks our peaceful silence, and I see the window shatter. An arrow slices through the air, and right into my father's back as I hug him.

           Guards burst through the door, but it's too late. My father is falling, and I can't hold him. I feel heat between us as his blood seeps into my dress. The guards are on us, and they lift him off of me and set him on the ground. I'm in so much shock that I can't breathe.

           Falling to my knees, I look at my father. His chest rises and falls in small, uneven movements.

          "Dad," I whisper. His eyes open for a single moment.

         "Clarke..." is all he says before his eyes fall closed and his chest stops moving. There is so much blood and he's not breathing and he won't wake up and I start screaming. My mother shows up, but it's too late, he won't wake up. Guards come toward me and start pulling me away, but I don't want to leave him. He's my father and he's dying and I'm still screaming.

        Eventually my breath runs out and as they're pulling me out the door, my head fades to black.


	2. Safety

Bellamy

 

            I’m talking to Monty right before we hear it.

            “I don’t know man, it’s just not what I imagined. I wanted to guard the king, like you,” I say to him, standing right outside the door to the King’s conference room.

            “So what? Even if you think being assigned to Clarke is _babysitting,_ you still get paid. And that’s all that matters, right? You just have to take care of Octavia,” he says. I nod in agreement, and then I hear the window shatter within the room.

            I push through the door and see the disaster: The Princess holding onto her father, who has an arrow in his back. Immediately the rest of the guard fills into the room, and as they move toward the King and lower him down, I move toward the princess. She’s hyperventilating and her father’s blood runs all down the front of her pale blue dress.

            “Princess?” I say to her, but she’s not paying attention. She kneels down to her father and within moments, he stops breathing.

            When she starts screaming, I try to take her away. The queen rushes into the room and begins crying, and my one goal is to get The Princess out of the room. Putting my hands around her waist, I try to pull her away. She’s much stronger than I anticipated, and pretty soon she’s elbowing me and fighting my hold.

            “Monty!” I scream over the other voices, “can I get some help? The archer could still be out there and I need to get the Princess out of here.”

            He comes over to the middle of the room where my hold on The Princess is getting weaker by the second.

            “Let me go! My father, I…” she screams, but I’m not taking any chances. She’s my priority and I have to get her to safety. Monty grabs one of her arms and together we pull her out of the room.

            As we cross the doorway, she slumps down and becomes a dead weight in my arms.

            “I think she’s fainted, Bellamy,” says Monty, and I pull her fully up into my arms. When I look down at her, she looks ragged with bloodstains and her hair a mess. _She didn’t deserve this._ Shaking the thoughts out of my head, I walk her to a safety room with no windows.

         Her ladies-in-waiting have found us by now, and as they approach us I start talking before they can start panicking.

         “The King was shot and killed with an arrow, and the blood on the Princess is her father’s. I’m taking her to a safety room on the second floor. Meet me there with new clothes for her and the things she’ll need for tomorrow. She’s staying the night in there.”

         Raven, the Princess’s best friend, steps closer, looking at her. “I _knew_ this would happen eventually! Finn and his worthless army need to be stopped!” With that, she stomps down the hall with the other girls in tow.

         Once we make it into the safe room, I set the Princess down on the small cot that lies in the corner. She’s started to stir and move, so I go to get her some water from a small faucet on the other side of the room.

         “Dad!” is the first thing I hear when she wakes up, and I quickly go back over to her, water cup only half-full.

         “Princess,” I say, and she looks over to me.

         “ _Where_ is my father?” she says with acid in her voice.

_I am not prepared to do this._

         “Princess, your father was attacked earlier, and an arrow was shot into his back. It hit his heart, and he in not coming back. He’s gone, Miss,” I say. She shakes her head back and forth, unaccepting.

        “Let me see him,” she says, getting up. Instead, I put the cup of water in her way to keep her sitting.

        “You can’t,” I say, “we have to keep you in here until we know there is no more threat to your safety.”

         She sits there for a moment, without moving.

         Then she lunges at me, spilling the cup of water on her way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd love comments if you want to let me know what you think! Thanks for reading! -Kristen


	3. Safe Room

Clarke

 

            The glass of water he offers me tips as I jump toward him, making my dress wet with water as well as blood. My force takes him by surprise and we fall onto the hard floor in a mess of arms and legs.

            “I _will_ see my father!” I scream at him, and push his shoulders into the ground.

            I move to get up, but the shock of what I’ve done has worn off – he’s prepared. In seconds, he has my wrists in one of his hands and he’s pushing _me_ into the floor. I struggle against his hold, but he’s much stronger. He’s new to my guard, but he definitely knows what he’s doing.

            “Blake, I swear, if you don’t let me go right now, I’ll kill you myself. Do you understand me? I…” but I don’t have time to finish, because the door opens and Raven and Harper file into the room, followed by one of my father’s guards.

            They all just stare for a moment, looking at officer Blake on top of me and holding onto my wrists. And because some sort of explanation is probably helpful, I say, “he wouldn’t let me go see my dad.”

            “Clarke, you can’t exactly leave this room for now,” says Harper, “we have to wait until it’s safe.” Officer Blake slowly releases me and we both sit up.

            “I don’t _care_ if it’s safe or not, I want to see—” I start, but I can’t finish, because tears fill my eyes and a sob catches in my throat.

            Raven and Harper come over to where I am and get me back up onto the cot. Officer Blake and my father’s guard – I think his name is Officer Green – leave the room. Once they have left, I can cry without feeling ashamed. The girls bring me new clothes and help me clean up. Once I have on my nightgown, I go over to the small sink in the safe room to wash my hands. I look in the mirror.

            My face has blood and tears all over it, and there are some small cuts from shards of glass that hit my cheeks. Looking down at my hands, I see my father’s dried blood. I turn the sink on and try to rid the stains from my hands.    

            “Who did this, Raven?” I say quietly.

            She walks over to where I am, her ponytail swinging as she walks. “I think it might have been Prince Finn. He wants you to marry him so he can have your power, and more land.”

            “Well he can go to Hell!” I scream.

            Bellamy Blake opens the door to the safe room and pokes his head in.

            “Is everything alright?” he asks, and I stare daggers at him.

            “NO, Blake! Everything is _not_ all right, thank you very much! Now please leave. Actually, can you bring more cots? The girls need somewhere to sleep in here,” I say, maybe a little too angrily.

            “I’m sorry Princess, but they aren’t staying in here with you. I’ll be in here tonight as guard while the door is locked from the outside. You’ll have to wait until the morning before the grounds are safe,” he replies. Anger floods my veins, but I hold back. I’ve already had too many emotions today. And maybe some quiet time in a windowless room will help me process everything. _Like dad’s death._ I take a deep breath.

            “Fine. But where is my mother?”

            “In a different safe room. She’s just fine, I promise,” he says.

            “Okay. Will you give me a moment with my friends, and then I’ll let them go?”

            “Yes, Princess.” He closes the door. I move back to the cot with my clean nightgown and washed hands and face. Raven and Harper come sit on either side of me silently.

            “What is going to happen now? Will I be forced to marry Finn? Will there be a war? My dad—” I start, but Harper puts a thin arm around my shoulders.

            “It’s all going to be okay, just wait. We will _never_ let you marry him. And if we have to go to war, then we’ll do it. And Clarke, I’m so sorry about your father. He was amazing,” she says, and I nod. If I start talking, I’ll probably cry, so I keep my mouth shut.

            “I’d love to drive a spear right through Finn’s stupid face,” says Raven, and I smile a bit. “I’ll go to war with him all by myself that’ll show him not to mess with my friends again.”

            Raven’s kind of insane for a Lady-in-waiting, and that’s why I picked her. She has spirit like I’ve never seen in anyone else.

            “Oh, and on the bright side – and I know there really isn’t any bright side right now – but look who got assigned as your head guard!” She says, a bit too loud for my liking.

            “Shh!” I say to her.

            “No, she’s right, Clarke. He’s gorgeous,” agrees Harper, raising her eyebrows expectantly. I roll my eyes and hold them close; my friends always know how to distract me from my life.

            And then the door opens again, and Blake sticks his curly head of hair through the crack in the door.

            “It’s time, Princess,” is all he says. With one last goodbye, the girls leave.

            Bellamy Blake comes in and closes the door behind him. I hear the lock click moments later. I’m stuck in the safe room with him until morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment!!! I really need some feedback! What do/don't you like? What do you want more of? Thanks for reading! :D -Kristen
> 
> Also, get excited for the next chapter, it will be super fluffy! <3


	4. Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thanks for reading! I will try to post a chapter once a week or more than that. Comment as much as possible, I love feedback! Thanks again! -Kristen

Bellamy

 

            When I turn around from the locked door, I see the Princess in a white nightgown. All the blood has been washed from her face and her blonde wavy hair has been brushed.

            Because I’m in for a long night with no sleep, I lean back against the door, giving my feet a break. She sits on the cot for one more moment, without speaking, and then goes to the small pile of things objects and clothes that her ladies-in- waiting brought her. Eventually she pulls out a soft-looking blue sweater and a sketchbook and pencil and returns to the cot in the corner.

            “What do you draw?” I ask her.

            “Whatever comes to mind. Usually it’s something in nature, but every once in a while, I draw people,” she says absentmindedly, pulling on the sweater and beginning to sketch.

            I watch her as she draws. Her expression starts off calm and focused, and she draws long lines along the paper. Then her face changes as she closes in on details. Her dark eyebrows pull together and she bites her bottom lip between her teeth. Her long hair falls into her eyes every once in a while, and she has to push it back behind her ear. _I never noticed how beautiful she is._ I’m too focused on her to realize that I’m staring – and that she’s staring back.

            “What are you looking at?” she demands.

            “I, uh… um, nothing,” I stammer, and look to the floor. _I can’t look at her like that; she’s the_ Princess _for goodness sake._ She doesn’t say anything, and continues drawing. I stand there for what feels like forever before she’s finished, placing the sketchbook and the pencil on the floor next to the cot. It’s probably around midnight.

            “I’m going to sleep,” she says to me, and lays down on the cot.

            “Goodnight, Princess,” I say. After a while, I hear her soft breathing, and I know she’s asleep.

 

Clarke

 

            _It’s in slow motion. I see the arrow as it pierces the glass of the window, and it sails in the direction of my father. There is nothing I can do but watch as it rips into his back. It’s as if I feel the pain myself, very acutely in my stomach. Looking down, I see that the arrow has gone though him and into me. Blood seeps through my dress, and darkness fills my vision. I can’t breathe—_

I wake up, gasping for breath. Tears slide down my cheeks and I can’t focus my breathing. _Dad’s gone. He’s gone._ It’s all I can think about. It still feels like there’s an arrow right in my stomach.

            In seconds, Officer Blake is beside me, placing his large hands on my shoulders.

            “Hey, Princess, it’s going to be okay. It was just a dream. Listen to me. Princess, are you listening? Breathe with me,” he says, and I try to look at him. I hate crying, especially in front of others. I’m supposed to be strong. I _have_ to be, especially now. I can’t let Blake see me cry. I even my breath to his, following the rise and fall of his chest.

            “Was it a nightmare?” he asks. I nod, and wipe my eyes.

            “I’m fine, really. It was just a bad dream,” I say.

            “You’ve had a lot of trauma today. I understand. It’s going to be alright, you know,” he says. I wish I could believe him. I look into his eyes, which are a deep brown.

            “I can’t run this kingdom alone, Officer Blake. I— ”

            “—Bellamy. You can call me Bellamy.”

            “I can’t do it, Bellamy. Technically I’m next in line to run and I can’t do it,” I say. Bellamy sits down across from me on the cot, still holding my shoulders. _I shouldn’t let him do this. I’m royalty and he’s a guard._ But I let him hold me anyway.

            “Listen. If there’s anyone that can do this, it’s you. If you’re anything like your father was, then you’ll be a great ruler. Okay?” I nod and take a ragged breath.

            “And honestly, you shouldn’t even be worried about that now. You need time to grieve and to process. Everyone will understand that,” he says. He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear and looks at me for a long moment, staring.

            “I think… I think I’m going to go to sleep again,” I say, feeling uncomfortable. He shouldn’t be touching me like that and I shouldn’t be letting him. _But having him near me won't hurt anything..._ He gets up and starts to walk toward the door, but I stop him.

            “Bellamy?” I say, and he pauses.

            “Yes, Princess?”

            “Will you sit next to me while I sleep?”

            He considers for a moment, probably debating on whether it is appropriate. But after a moment he nods and heads back over to me, sitting on the floor at the foot of the cot. I turn over and try to sleep again, hopefully without nightmares.

 

*

 

         The next time I open my eyes, it’s not to a nightmare—but reality might actually be worse. The door to the safety room opens, and Raven comes in the door with a black dress on a hanger. It’s time for Dad’s funeral.

           


	5. Rain and Daggers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting sooner, I've been really sick! I hope you like this chapter, it took a while. Anyway, enjoy! Comment if you can, I love feedback! Thanks for reading! -Kristen

Clarke

 

            It rains softly as the funeral proceeds, and I hold my black umbrella over my head, looking down at the casket. Burials are pretty simple here, but because my father was the King, the eulogy takes a while. We’re standing in a special part of the palace gardens, where the royalty is buried. My grandparents are here as well as my great grandparents. Now my father joins them.

            A tear rolls down my cheek and I sniff quietly while one of Dad’s advisers gives the eulogy.

            “Clarke,” whispers my mom, standing next to me. I look over to her, trying to hold myself together.

            “Yeah?”

            “It’s going to be okay, honey. I promise. No matter what, we’ll get through this,” she nods sadly. I look closer and see that her eyes are rimmed with red. She’s been crying a lot.

            Mom loved dad more than I even thought was possible. That’s an amazing thing about my life that I try not to take for granted – my parents were completely in love. Mom was actually just a nurse in the palace when she met dad. Dad, being a cocky stupid prince, thought he could jump out of his balcony and land on his feet. He was in the infirmary for weeks, and my mom was the one who took care of him. And despite my grandfather’s expectations of my dad to marry a foreign princess, dad married mom. For love. It’s one of those things that gives me hope that I might be able to do that as well.

            “…and we know that his legacy will be with us forever, through his beautiful daughter and soon to be Queen, Clarke of Arkadia,” says the man, and finishes his speech. People make their way back to the palace in the pattering rain, but I stay next to the casket in the ground. Men eventually come to cover it with dirt, and that’s when he steps up behind me. Bellamy Blake.

            “Princess?” he says, and I know it’s him from his voice. We haven’t really talked at all since we left the safe room. Whatever happened in there – it was a mistake. I can’t be with him. I have a kingdom to run, and he’s a distraction.

            “It’s raining—I should escort you inside,” he says.

            I turn to him and look up into his angular face. His hair is curled around his head, a bit wet with the rain. He has tiny raindrops spattering his freckled cheeks, and his eyes bore into mine with kindness and something else, maybe attraction—

            “I can get inside on my own, thank you,” and with a swish of my umbrella, I leave him in the rain.

 

Bellamy

 

            Clarke leaves me standing by her father’s grave in the rain, confused and wondering. _Everything from last night was just you. She could never love you._ I shake the thoughts from my head and follow her to the reception. I still have to protect her.

            When I get into the large reception room in the palace, she’s already talking to people, greeting one after the other. She looks graceful and peaceful and elegant and way too good for someone like me.

            “You look spooked, what’s wrong?” says a voice. I jump for a moment before I realize that it’s Monty. I run my fingers through my hair quickly.

            “I’m fine, just shocked at all of this. It’s crazy, you know? The King’s dead. There are so many people here,” I say.

            “You know who’s _not_ here? Prince Finn and his father King Anton. Rumor is that they aren’t here because _they_ did it,” he says.

            “Did what?”

            “ _Killed him,_ Bellamy. People think they did it. Anton was just here yesterday when it all happened. All the guards are going to have a meeting later tonight about it,” he says. I nod, but I am still looking over at Clarke. She’s smiling at some foreign ambassadors, but I can see through her smile to the pain beneath. She needs more time.

            “Bellamy, are you even listening? The meeting?” insists Monty, nudging my shoulder. I finally turn to him.

            “Yeah. Sorry. I’ve just got a lot on my mind. Meeting tonight, to discuss Finn and his father and how they—”

            “ _might_ ,” Monty whispers, looking around nervously, “how they _might_ have killed the king. It’s after the reception ends. Got it?” I nod, and he walks away.

 

*******

 

            Hours pass and guests leave periodically. Clarke is clearly exhausted but refuses to let me get her water or a chair or anything to help. I’ve been watching her the whole time, and she hasn’t even glanced in my direction.

            “Hey, we’re headed over to the meeting now. Clarke can get to her room from here, I’m sure,” says Monty as he passes by me. I nod.

            “I’ll be there in a minute. Wait for me,” I say. I make my way over to Clarke, who is standing alone now that everyone has gone.

            “You doing okay?” I say to her, and she looks up at me.

            “Yes, thank you. It’s been a long day, I think I’ll head back to my room,” she says. I follow her for a few steps, not caring if I miss the meeting, but she stops me.

            “I… I can get there on my own, Bellamy,” she says shyly, not quite looking at me. _She doesn’t want you here, just leave._

            “Oh, um… okay. I’ll be in a meeting down in the East corridor if you need me, alright? I’ll be back as soon as it’s over.”

            “Alright. Thank you Bell—Officer Blake.”

            I leave her and head to the meeting room. They’ve already started when I step in.

            “… so that’s why we think Finn’s people might be behind this. Anton’s talk with the King the other day didn’t go so well, and tensions on the borders have been high for a long time now. It makes sense,” says a man, Kane, one of the King’s Advisors.

            “Okay, noted. So the question is, why? To start a war? They can’t win. We have them outnumbered, clearly,” says another man who I don’t recognize. Then I remember something.

            “Clarke was in that meeting, right?” I say out loud, “the Princess? Why would she be there?” A few men ponder this, turning to one another.

            “And her Lady in Waiting knew about the meeting, or at least the situation. She mentioned it to me. Why would Clarke tell her about that?” I ask.

            “Why does any of this matter? The only thing the Princess probably talks about to that girl is who she’s going to marry. Isn’t that all they care about?” some jerk says, and many of the men laugh.

            But I don’t. Because he’s right. Clarke _would_ talk to Raven about marriage, which is just what she did—marriage to Finn. And Clarke was probably in that meeting because Finn wanted her hand in marriage. The King must have refused, so Finn had him killed. And his next move is probably….

            “Clarke,” is all I say before I bust through the doors and out into the hallway.

            Finn’s next move is to come after Clarke.

 

Clarke

 

            I finally get back to my room after everything is over and my face hurts from fake smiling. I shed my black dress and pull on my softest nightgown, readying for bed. _Each day will get easier without him._ I hope that’s true. I miss dad like crazy.

            Grabbing my brush, I go to stand in front of my mirror and comb through my blonde hair. Though Bellamy was really sweet tonight, I can’t let him get into my head. Whatever feelings I have for him have to disappear. Tomorrow I will ascend the throne and it would be absurd for me to be with him. I pull the brush through a tougher knot in my blonde curls…

My mirror shatters as a knife flies over my left shoulder and pierces the smooth, clear surface. The air in my lungs stops when I look in the cracked remains of my reflection and see the next blade flying at me. I drop to the floor, find my lungs, and scream.

            The lights shut off, and I hear a scuffle at the entrance to my bedroom door.

            “Help!” I manage before the door slams shut. I search in the dark for a robe to cover my nightgown, but it is useless – I’m too late. The light flips back on and four armed men fill the space of my room. My throat constricts.

            “You’re coming with us, miss.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting sooner, I've been really sick! I hope you like this chapter, it took a while. Anyway, enjoy! Comment if you can, I love feedback! Thanks for reading! -Kristen


	6. Worth It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! I hope you all are doing well. If you recognize some of the lines from this chapter, it's because you know them! I don't own anything from the 100, or claim any of their work as my own. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the latest installment! Let me know what you think! -Kristen (to Amy, my bffl)

Bellamy

 

            I round the corner to Clarke’s rooms and rush down the hall, but it’s too late. The guards outside of her door are lying on the ground, unconscious, and strange men are entering her room. I hear her scream for help, but I can’t get to the door in time. They’ve got her.

            They emerge from the room with Clarke being held by one man, a knife blade to her neck. She’s struggling to breathe without cutting herself.

            I pull out my gun – the only weapon I thought to bring in my rush– and point it at them.

            “Stop!” I yell, and all six of them – Clarke included – freeze. The hallway behind them is a dead end, and the only way they’re going to take her is if they get around me, and they won’t.

            “Shoot any of us and the girl dies,” says the man holding the knife to Clarke’s throat. I falter for a moment, but keep my gun pointed. They must be bluffing, they need Clarke alive.

            “Take the knife away, and let her go,” I say, taking a step toward them.

            “Ah, I wouldn’t do that, boy,” says the man with the knife, and he makes a small slip of the knife. It makes a tiny cut at the base of her neck. Clarke sucks a breath in and bites her lip, trying to ignore the pain.

            “Clarke,” I say, “It’s going to be okay. I promise.” And slowly, I lower my gun to the floor of the palace.

            The one with the knife seems to be the one in charge. He’s a huge, bear-like man with a beard and dark eyes. His clothes look like a guard uniform, but not from Arkadia. Which means that Clarke is being kidnapped by another kingdom. The man interrupts my thoughts.

            “Now, if we let you go, you’ll go telling everyone that we’re here, and we won’t make it out of the castle grounds. So it looks like you’ll be coming with us as well,” he says.

            “Or we could just kill him,” says another, thinner man next to him.

            “No!” says Clarke, gasping at air, “please, don’t kill him. I’ll do anything you want, I’ll stop fighting, just please _don’t kill him.”_

Clarke swallows and the knife pushes another millimeter into her skin. She winces in pain.

            “Alright, it looks like the princess wants him to stay. Let’s keep him. He might end up being useful, anyway. It’s a three-day journey and the princess doesn’t look like she’s used to the outdoors,” he says, and then two men come for me. I don’t fight them; I just let them take me. I can’t believe none of the other guards followed me, especially Monty.

            Clarke looks right at me as they bind my hands behind my back. She doesn’t say anything, but I can tell that she’s scared. Strong, and brave, but scared. I’m shuffled over next to Clarke and the others, and all together we make our way out of the palace. Only a few people see us, and when they do, the men throw knives into them. Clarke gasps when one of her ladies in waiting rounds the corner.

            “Clarke—” the girl gasps, and then she turns to run for help, or scream. But the men are too quick. A small blade flies out of one of their hands and into the girl’s back. She falls, and Clarke screams, and the man’s hand slips a little and the blade goes further into her neck.

            “Hey,” I say, and fight the men’s grasp on my arms. “Stop. She’ll do what you want. Take the knife away.”

            “If I do that, boy, I’ll have no more leverage. So _shut up_ or the blade goes further in,” he says, and I shut up.

            After a few minutes, we’re in the palace garden, headed toward the forest, toward Polis. All along, it was Finn.

            And finally we’re out of the palace grounds, leaving behind a trail of people with knives in their backs.

 

 

Clarke

 

            The day my father died was not the worst day of my life. This is. The anger I have toward these men is an anger I have never felt before, a rage that can only be satisfied with vengeance, with pain.

           The minute we are off the palace grounds, the knife is taken from my neck, and I explode. I have no weapons except for my fists and legs, but I intend to use them.

           I throw my elbow back into the man who had a knife to me, knocking him back onto the ground, and I run to the thinner man standing right in front of me. Knowing my legs are more powerful, I kick the man’s leg in sideways, taking his knee out. The others have noticed now, and they come toward me, but I’m not letting them take me again. I kick one of them in the crotch, and he goes down, but the other man is too close. So instead, I launch myself at him, aiming to grab at his neck.

           I pull at the man’s neck, basically choking him from behind, but a voice interrupts me.

          “Clarke,” he says, and I look up. Bellamy is on his knees, and the fifth man, the one I forgot about, is standing behind him with a gun pointing at the back of his head. The gun clicks into place. It’s loaded and ready to shoot. Bellamy keeps talking, quickly and in a low voice.

          “Clarke, let him go and _run_. Listen to me, Princess. This is your chance,” he says gruffly. The other men start to stir, and the man I’m holding is about to fall, because I’ve cut off his breath for a while. I only have a few seconds before I’m taken again.

           “Go,” he says, more insistent this time.

           “Now, Princess, are you going to leave him behind?” says the man with the gun, and pushes it harder into the back of Bellamy’s head. “Are you just going to let me shoot him?”

           I look down at Bellamy. The man I’m holding falls, having run our of breath. I take a step toward Bellamy, but he stops me.   

          “Clarke, _go!”_ he yells to me, eyes desperate. “I’m not worth it. This is your chance, so _take it!”_

           “You’re running out of time, sweetie,” says the man with the gun. The leader, who I elbowed, is sitting up and making his way to his feet.

           “Clarke, think. It’s not worth it. _I’m_ not worth it. _RUN!”_ Bellamy yells once more. I look behind him, toward the safety of the palace, and then I look to his face one more time.

             And I get down to my knees as one of the men, the leader, pulls my arms behind my back and ties me.

             “Bellamy,” I say, and he looks at me.

             “Yes, you are. You’re worth it.” and then something hard hits my head, and my vision fades to black once more.

           

           

           


	7. Forest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comment if you can! You are all amazing! (: -Kristen

Clarke

           

            I wake up in a daze, with my head still in pain from getting hit. After blinking a few times, I take in my surroundings: I’m resting up against a tree, my hands are tied behind me, and it’s pitch black outside, except for a small fire a few feet away. It’s probably the middle of the night by now. Quietly, I try to move a little bit, to see if I can find something to cut the rope tying my hands.

            “Princess,” I hear, and it’s only a whisper. It comes from my left. I turn my head, despite its throbbing, and look toward the voice.

            “Bellamy,” I whisper back, and relief floods my veins. He’s here. He’s okay.

            “You should have run when you had the chance.” He’s angry.

            “I wasn’t about to just leave you, okay?” I whisper-yell back to him. His face is getting clearer in the darkness, and I start to see his dark eyes, which are searching my face and neck.

            “You should have. You’d be safe, and someone would be taking care of you. Why didn’t you just run?” he asks, some frustration leaking out.

            “I…” I start. And then I say it, because I don’t know what’s going to happen to us, and if I miss my chance, I’ll always regret it.

            “Because I care about you, Bellamy. I couldn’t leave you behind because I… I feel something for you. And just because I’m a Princess doesn’t mean that my life is worth more than yours. It also doesn’t mean that I should deny my feelings for you. So that’s why I stayed. You mean something to me.”

            For a moment, there’s just silence. I can hear his breathing, and in the dark I can just make out the light smile on his lips. Despite our situation, I feel happy knowing that he knows my feelings. I’m brought back to the present moment by a scuffle over by the fire.

            “Hey, Jaha, I think she’s awake,” one of the men says, throwing something into the fire and getting up.

            The man in charge, Jaha, gets up from his place by the fire and comes over to where Bellamy and I sit. He crouches down in front of me and puts two fingers under my chin, lifting my face up to him. I angrily turn away, not wanting hi filthy hands to touch me. He kidnapped me and one of his men threw a knife into Harper.

            “Now, don’t get angry with me girl, or you’ll be in for some trouble,” he says, and grabs my chin forcefully with his dirty hand. He smells like fire. “I’m just trying to get a look at you. It’s no wonder the Prince wants you—you _are_ very beautiful.”

            “Get your hands off her,” says Bellamy next to me, struggling to free his hands. Jaha turns quickly toward Bellamy, releasing my face.

            “And you, my brave friend, have already been extremely useful. Thank you for your help. If it weren’t for you, our Princess would have gotten free. But her strange care for you kept her here. We should get back ahead of schedule, all thanks to you—” But he doesn’t finish, because Bellamy spits into his face.

            What happens next is so fast that I barely process it before it’s over: the man jumps onto Bellamy, knocking him back into the trunk of the tree. Bellamy kicks at Jaha’s stomach, and rolls up onto his knees. Somehow he’s freed his hands, and he lunges on top of Jaha, who’s still down.

            I look around for something that must have cut the ties holding Bellamy’s hands together, but in the darkness it’s almost impossible. Finally I find a sharp rock nearby, most likely what he used to free himself. I lean sideways and backwards to grab it, but before I can, a strong hand closes over my right arm, pulling me forcefully to my feet.

“Stop the fight!” says the man holding me, and Both Bellamy and Jaha look over to where I am standing. One of Jaha’s men holds me with one hand around my arm and the other around my neck. My neck already stings from the knife earlier, and the pressure he’s putting on my throat hurts fiercely.

            Immediately, Bellamy gives up his hold on Jaha and raises his hands in surrender.


	8. Polis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all are doing well! Thanks for reading and give me any feedback you have! -Kristen

Bellamy

 

            I look over to the man with his hand around her neck and immediately back down. The man lets go of Clarke’s neck, but still holds onto her arm. We’re not getting away.

            “Now you’re _both_ going to behave, and we’re going to start moving. It’s a three day journey and we’re going to make it in two,” says Jaha, shoving me ahead of him further into the forest.

 

*****

            The next two days pass without words or rest or any comfort. Clarke and I have given up on rescue or escape – they’ll use us against one another. And we can’t fight them.

            After what seems like years in the forest, tripping over tree roots and getting scraped by branches, we make it to Polis.

            I wake up from my daze of walking and take in my surroundings. We’re walking through a village, and people peek their heads out of windows to see who’s coming by. I look over to Clarke, who is peering around the area as well. The cut on her neck has scabbed over. It doesn’t look infected, so that’s good, but she looks like she’s lived in the forest for months. She deserves so much better than the dirt she’s covered in right now.

            We make our way through the village, and then I look up to the palace, that’s not too far away. It’s all white brick and taller than I can see from where we’re walking.

            Before I know it we’ve passed through the front gates of the palace, and there are guards everywhere. By the sky I can tell that it’s around evening.

            “He’ll talk to them tomorrow,” says one of the armed guards who approaches our group. _He? Who?_ Jaha and his men walk away, and Clarke and I are pushed together by the new guards who surround us. I can hear her breathing quickly next to me.

            “It’s going to be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you,” I say quietly. She just barely nods in response. The new guards are fully equipped with guns, knives, and many other weapons that we don’t carry in Arkadia. They’re prepared for war.

            “Let’s welcome our guests, shall we?” says someone from behind us. I turn to see a man who looks like he’s in charge. He’s tall, has a full beard, and wears the full guard getup. He rounds the group of people so he stands right in front of us. “Cut their ropes.” The closest guard to us does, but neither of us move.

            “We’d prefer if you let us go,” says Clarke, taking a small step forward toward him.

            “Sorry, that’s not exactly an option. You see, Finn had very specific orders. Once you’re here, you’re treated well. So I will be sowing you to your room, Princess Clarke. I suppose your friend can go as well, since we’ve no other place to put him.” he turns to look at me quickly, then steps away.

            The group of us, guards included, make our way into the palace. All of the hallways are clear, and we finally climb some steps to the second floor.

            “I hope you enjoy your time here, Princess. It won’t be your last visit,” says the head guard, and turns to us. “You’ll be staying here for the remainder of your visit. The Prince will see you tomorrow.”

            And with that, we are shoved roughly into a nearby room together, and as soon as the door shuts behind us, I hear the click of the lock. Looking at the window, I can tell that precautionary measures have already been taken so that we can’t leave – there are bars on the windows, and there aren’t too many things that can be used for weapons in here. Despite that, it seems to be a regular looking bedroom with the usual royal flare. The bed looks more comfortable than anything I’ve ever seen, and much of the furniture is intricate and plush. I turn to Clarke to see if she’s alright. She’s found a glass of water in the corner of the room and is drinking from it.

           “Clarke,” I say, walking toward her, “Clarke, I’m so sorry. I’ll get you out of here. Let me look at your cuts.” She looks up from her water and smiles sadly.

          “Bellamy, it’s not your fault. You did the best you could. And we’re both alive, and I’m not alone. We’ll survive.” She sits in a chair in another corner of the room, and I go to her, kneeling at her side. She lifts her head up a bit, exposing the cut at the base of her neck.

          “The cuts aren’t too bad, but they should definitely be cleaned,” I say, getting up. I take a cloth that I find near the water and get it wet.

         “Bellamy…” she says softly as I kneel down by her again. I look up into her eyes. “I’m scared.”

          A lock of her hair falls into her eyes, and I push it back. She’s not crying, but her brows are pulled together in worry and frustration.

          “Clarke, look at me,” I say, and she does. “I will _not_ let anything happen to you. I don’t care if I have to throw myself in front of a gun or a sword or Prince Finn himself, I will not let anything happen to you. I promise that. We’re going to walk out of this place, taking down anyone who gets in our path. Got that? We’re gonna raise some Hell, and they won’t know what hit them.”

         She giggles at that a little bit, and smiles. She raises her head up again, and I lift the wet cloth to the base of her neck. She hisses a bit at the touch, but she’s not afraid. She’s full of strength. And I have to get her out of here.

         I clean up her wounds and she cleans up her face, and after a while, we look only semi-dirty. Our clothes are still filthy and ripped in a lot of places, but we are at least a little refreshed.

        “What now?” she asks, drying her face with a pink towel. She’s barefoot and beautiful and I lose my words.

        “Bellamy?”

       “Oh, um… I don’t know. You should get some rest,” I say, looking out the window. “I don’t know when they’ll be back for something, but you should at least try to be rested for the next thing coming.”

        “What about you?” she asks, padding her way over to the puffy bed. I look down, my face reddening. _We could both get some rest…_

        “I’m going to stand guard. It’s my job, remember?” she cocks her head to the side and stops at the edge of the bed.

        “You should rest, Bellamy. We’ve walked nonstop for three days. And if they bust the door in, we’ll definitely hear it. We can defend ourselves, it’s okay.” I pull my eyebrows together, wondering if she’s suggesting what I’m thinking she is. And despite the situation, despite the kidnapping, despite the cut running along the base of her neck, she smiles that damn smile at me and I’m powerless. But just to be sure…

         “Are you, Princess, asking me to sleep in the same bed as you?” she bites her bottom lip and smiles at me again.

         “I can ask you, as Clarke, or I can order you, as your Princess…” she says. And so I take a breath of relief, of joy, and step over to her at the edge of the bed.


	9. Stabbed in the Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I took a super long Hiatus! Anyway, here's a new chapter from Harper's point of view back at the castle, and the next chapter is already half written (bellarke + 1 bed <3 ) so GET READY!

Harper -- Back at the Castle

 

            The first thing I feel is pain. Breathing hurts. I lie on my stomach in the infirmary. White noise surrounds me, and someone is sitting in the chair at my bedside – I can’t see them because of the way I’m laying.

            “I think she’s waking up,” the person says, and it’s a boy. He leans down, putting his head at a really weird angle to see me.

            “Harper?” he asks, and quirks a smile. I nod, but it shoots pain through me and I wince.

            “Oh, sorry, sorry! You’re Harper. I’m Officer Green, well, Monty. I’m Monty. You…” he falters at the end, not knowing how to say it. I breathe in.

            “I got stabbed in the back,” I rasp out, feeling the cut in my upper back. He nods a little bit, pushing his lips to the side.

            “Where is Raven, and Clarke, I—” but I can’t finish, because another wave of pain hits me, and my head explodes in pain. A sad whimper escapes my lips, and Officer Green looks around, panicked.

            “Nurse?” he asks frantically, waving at someone behind me. “She’s in a lot of pain.” I try to breathe in and out steadily, but it hurts. A woman scurries over, and her head turns like Officer Green’s did when she bends to look at me. Black curls fall from her head.

            “Harper, I’m a nurse, and I’d like to give you some medicine for the pain, alright? Is that okay?” she asks, and I breathe out a yes. She gives me a tiny cup with some dark-looking liquid. With one arm off of my cot, I take the cup in my hand and drink. It tastes like sand in my mouth and I want to spit it out, but I know it is best to just drink it. Officer Green stands a couple feet away, eyes on me.

            “You should be feeling better soon, Harper. You might get a little sleepy, just so you know. Feel better, Miss Harper,” says the nurse. She smiles a little bit at me, pitiful, and then steps away from the cot. I rest my arm back up on the cot with the rest of me. I try to squirm and make myself more comfortable, but it hurts too badly.

            “Feeling any better?” Officer Green asks as he takes the seat next to my bed again. I actually do, but that’s not his business.

            “Why do you want to know? Why are you here, Officer? And where is Clarke?” I ask him, trying to get a good look at his face. I manage to lift my head up enough to see him. His black hair falls a bit onto his forehead, and his brown eyes show only concern, worry. He’s biting his lower lip, considering what to reply.

            “Well, there’s a lot to explain so I’ll start from the top,” he says pulling at his collar for a second. “The Princess has been taken,” he says. I try to hold back my gasp, but I can’t. With all of the security in this castle, there is no way Clarke of all people could get kidnapped. I try to sit up and manage to get up to my elbows – painfully, but the medicine is working.

            “What? Why? How? I—then why are you here and not out looking for her? How long has she ben gone? Officer Green, I—” but he stops me, gently placing a long-fingered hand on my arm.

            “Monty. Call me Monty. And we’re not out looking for her because… well, because you’re the only one who saw them take her. The only one still alive, that is,” he says, still holding my arm gently. “I am here to ask for information, to find out of you saw anything that could be helpful.” I let myself fall back down onto the cot, exhausted.

            “She’s really gone?” I whisper. He nods, his hair brushing his forehead. He let’s go of my arm and peers at me with his brown eyes, and despite the situation, I feel my cheeks redden.

            “Did you see anything? Who took her, what they looked like, anything?”

            “I didn’t see much, Off—Monty. She was with five or six other men, all armed, and one of her guards was with her, Officer Blake I think. I saw them taking her and turned to tell someone, and then…”

            “Then you got stabbed in the back,” he says. I nod. Sleep pulls at my eyelids, and I try to blink away the tiredness.

            “Is that everything you’ve got?” he asks, still leaning over to look at me.

            “It’s all that I remember. How many… how many people…” I can’t finish.

            “Eight,” he says, his eyes glancing to the floor. “You’re lucky, Harper.” I certainly don’t feel that way, but I don’t say that. My eyes fall shut and I can’t fight off the medicine anymore.

            “We’ve got to find her,” I mumble, “and I’m going to help you.”

            “You’re going to sleep,” Monty’s voice says, and I can tell I’m losing consciousness.

            “Next time I wake up, be here,” I say quietly. I open my eyes once more to see his brown eyes peering at me.

            “I will,” he says, and I let myself drift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I took a super long Hiatus! Anyway, here's a new chapter from Harper's point of view back at the castle, and the next chapter is already half written (bellarke + 1 bed <3 ) so GET READY! Let me know what you think!


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